


Family

by SifaShep



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Gen, ME1, Virmire, commander nate shepard, family headcanon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-07
Updated: 2016-04-07
Packaged: 2018-05-31 18:14:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6481561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SifaShep/pseuds/SifaShep
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ashley meets the Commander's parents while the Normandy is docked at the Citadel. Takes place during ME1. The last part is post-Virmire.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Family

Ashley Williams happened to be in Sickbay when the visitor arrived with Doctor Chakwas. Ash’s first thought was _That woman is pretty short._  The top of her head barely reached Ash’s ears. Yet it was the way she held herself, with a straight back and an alert posture, that caught Ash’s attention. Military, for sure, or someone connected with the Alliance.

Doctor Chakwas spotted Ashley and waved her over. “Ah, Chief Williams. This is Doctor Hannah Shepard. She’s an old friend of mine.”

Her eyes widened. “Shepard? As in…you’re the commander’s mother?" 

"It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Chief. Nate’s spoken quite highly of you,” Hannah said. She shook Ashley’s outstretched hand with a grip that belied her size.

Ashley tried to hide her surprise. She saw the family resemblance: the piercing green eyes, dark hair, and high cheekbones. There was a strong Native American influence on Hannah’s features that was reflected in her son.

“The pleasure is mine, Doctor Shepard,” Ashley replied. The woman’s bright smile was so infectious; Ashley found herself smiling as well. “Are you here to see the commander?”

“Well, yes…only he doesn’t know I’m here yet.” Hannah’s eyes sparkled with mischief.

“He doesn’t?” She stifled laughter. “Uh oh.”

Hannah rolled her eyes. “It’s not as bad as it sounds, Chief. His father and I are both on the Citadel…a rarity nowadays, and we’re planning to take him to dinner. Our schedules don’t usually match up, so we usually take any chance we can get.“

Ashley nodded. She knew Shepard would be pleasantly surprised, for he talked about his mother often. “I come from a military family myself, so I know what you mean–”

Joker’s voice interrupted from the speakers. “Flight Lieutenant Moreau to Doctor Shepard?”

“Shepard here, Flight Lieutenant.”

"Your son’s on his way; Ambassador Udina stopped him at the elevator. Said he needed to talk about something important.”

Hannah Shepard made a derisive sound that startled Ashley. “Flight Lieutenant, is my husband with them?”

“Uh…I believe Colonel Shepard is there too, yeah.”

“Tell him to behave and not throw Udina into the nearest Presidium lake, even if Udina deserves it. I’m not there to bail him out this time.”

Joker hesitated for a second, but he said, “I’ll tell him, ma’am. Moreau, out.”

Ashley raised her eyebrows as Hannah made another disgusted noise. “Udina. Never liked that man,” Hannah muttered under her breath. “Daniel always thought there was something sneaky about him.”

“Wait–the commander’s father threw _Udina_ into the Presidium’s lake?” Ashley repeated. She couldn’t believe her ears. “Damn. I wish I would’ve seen that.”

Chakwas gave her a droll look. “That was Udina’s fault. He accused Daniel of cheating at biotiball, which was rubbish–”

“–Daniel _could_  have saved him and his expensive suit with biotics, but oops!” Hannah laughed and made a helpless gesture, much to Ashley’s amusement. “He was madder than a wet hen, Udina was.”

Ashley burst out laughing at the mental image of Donnel Udina, soaked from head to toe, with dripping water at every hem of his clothing. It gladdened her heart to know that someone had the guts to do that to an Alliance politician.

And get away with it. Sort of. 

“Daniel’s Ops team combined their pay to get him out of C-Sec’s lock-up. Then the Alliance refunded their money,” Chakwas all but chortled. She could barely talk because she laughed so hard. “Then they threw the biggest party I’d ever seen. Gave Daniel an honorary medal, in defense of all Alliance soldiers everywhere.”

It was hard to imagine her quiet, clean-cut commander with parents like these two, but then again, Nathaniel Shepard was a rebel deep under the surface. The Normandy crew saw that time and time again. You just had to know him well enough to know it was there.

The medbay hatch cycled open again to admit Shepard and a taller man in Marine fatigues. Nate Shepard may have physically resembled his mother, but there was a certain aura of command that radiated from his father. Suddenly, Ashley realized from whom Shepard had inherited that trait.

Ashley immediately snapped to attention and saluted. “Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams, sir,” she said.

“Colonel Daniel Shepard, Alliance Marines, Special Ops and biotic specialist.” He returned the salute, then nodded at her. “Nate’s told me about you. Pleased to finally meet you.”

“Likewise, sir.” She grinned at Shepard. “Skipper. No dunking ambassadors into the lake this time?”

The elder Shepard sighed and rolled his eyes to the ceiling, and Ashley’s smile widened because the gesture was so familiar. Like father, like son. “Damn, you told her the story, didn’t you? I’m never gonna live that down.”

Shepard chuckled and shrugged good-naturedly. “Udina deserved it that time. But no, Chief, Udina stayed dry when we talked to him.” His eyes flashed dangerously for a brief second. “Between you, me, and the bulkhead, I seriously considered keeping the family tradition going.”

“We would’ve bailed you out, Skipper, don’t worry.” Ashley sighed, reluctant to leave. “I gotta get back to work, but it was good to meet both of you.”

Hannah nodded and linked her arm through her son’s. “Next time, we should all go to Apollo’s and have a proper sit-down dinner. You’re invited, of course, Chief.”

“Sounds good. Thanks, Doctor.” Ashley gave a little wave at the Shepards as she left Medbay. She found herself looking forward to getting to know the Skipper’s family better. They reminded her so much of her own family.

_We stick together, no matter what._

_*****_

_**Son,** _

_**We’re so sorry to hear about Ashley. When we met her on the Normandy, she struck me as a warm, intelligent young woman. She also took her duty seriously, and sacrificed her life to save others. It’s never easy to lose someone, especially a brave one like she was.** _

_**Your father contacted Mrs. Williams to give her our condolences. Ashley’s mother was devastated, but she had her daughters around her to help. We military families stick together, no matter what. You know that all too well.** _

_**Nate, please be careful out there. And if you need to talk for any reason, call me. Any time.** _

_**Love,** _

_**Mom** _


End file.
